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Nevada County Arts and the Magic Lantern Film Society present “Pages to Reel,” a unique experience that combines the appeal of a book club with the opportunity to be a film critic.

Many of the greatest films of all time were adapted from great works of literature, for example, “Casablanca,” “A Room With a View,” “The Great Gatsby,” “No Country for Old Men,” “Brokeback Mountain” and “The English Patient,” to name just a few.

Every other month, a novel will be selected, and the film based upon the novel will be shown followed by a lively discussion.

“Nevada County Arts is pleased to collaborate with the Magic Lantern Film Society to fulfill our mission of promoting literature and film and enhancing the experience of each,” said JoAnn Marie of the board of directors for Nevada County Arts.

April 5, Pages to Reel kicks off with “On the Road,” starring Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart (“Twilight series”) and Amy Adams, directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) and produced by Francis Ford Coppola, at the Magic Theatre, an intimate 60-seat art house theatre in the Seven Hills Business District in Nevada City.

The film is an adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s seminal 1957 novel of the same name. The story is based on the years Kerouac spent traveling the United States in the late 1940s with his friend, Neal Cassady, and several other figures who would go on to fame in their own right, including William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg. “On the Road” is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat Generation and portrays the story of a fierce personal quest for meaning and belonging. “On the Road” was released at an interesting point in American history when conformity was praised and outsiders were suspect.

After the film, attendees are encouraged to stay and take part in a discussion on the many themes Kerouac touched on in the novel including religion and spirituality, masculinity and patriarchy, travel and self-discovery, among others, lead by renowned local poet Chris Olander. He will speak about the social and political backdrop of the novel and the novel’s influence on American culture.

“Pages to Reel is a fantastic opportunity for people to learn something new about film, literature and screenwriting; meet like-minded people; and of course, have fun,” said Jesse Locks, director of the Nevada City Film Festival who also oversees the festival’s Magic Lantern Film Society.

Copies of the book “On the Road” can be purchased at Harmony Books and The Book Seller.